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OPINION

SAFE Act has reasonable restrictions

Many of us in upstate New York question the determination of the Schuyler County Legislature in voting to support repeal of the NY SAFE Act. We want to know if they considered the ramifications that this would have on the safety of New Yorkers?

Polls consistently show that 92 percent of Americans support universal background checks on gun sales, which they have voted to repeal in New York. Further, 67 percent of New Yorkers support the SAFE Act, including four out of five women and half of upstate voters. Did they consider the fact that only 18 percent of New Yorkers own guns?

Before considering that resolution, they should have recalled that the NY SAFE Act was passed by a large bipartisan majority in both houses of the state Legislature.

More importantly, NY SAFE provides safe, sane and sensible protections against gun violence. Voters should know that by supporting repeal of the SAFE Act, the legislators support the repeal of the "Webster" provision, which makes the murder of a first-responder a felony. It would also eliminate those provisions protecting victims of domestic abuse and making the use of a gun in the commission of a crime a felony.

The SAFE Act also provides for the safe storage of guns in the homes of felons, domestic abusers and the seriously mentally ill. It makes possession of a gun on school property a felony and establishes a mental health reporting system and a school safety improvement program. This council voted to deny New Yorkers, including our children, these basic protections.

Further, the law has passed constitutional muster in both state and federal courts. The federal court held that the law "withstand(s) constitutional scrutiny" and that the state's regulation of "assault-style weapons" is related to the governmental interest in public safety.

We at New Yorkers Against Gun Violence appreciate that gun ownership is a right guaranteed under our Constitution and upheld by our courts. But any right comes with responsibilities. Those responsibilities are particularly grave when we are discussing the right to possess lethal weapons.

The corporate gun lobby has opposed any sensible gun regulations because their only interest is in selling more guns to more people, not caring if their weapons fall into dangerous, or young, hands.

It's the responsibility of governments, including the Schuyler County Legislature, to protect the public safety by promulgating and supporting laws that, for example, protect citizens from gun violence. That's done by keeping guns out of the wrong hands — those of terrorists, criminals, domestic abusers, the seriously mentally ill and children. The SAFE Act goes a long way toward that goal.

New York has the third-lowest gun death rate in the nation because we have smart gun laws that keep guns out of dangerous hands. The rest of the country should follow our lead to save lives.

McQuillen is the upstate coordinator and Pudup is the Western New York coordinator for New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.